


Wings of Justice

by Nagiru



Category: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, Persona 5
Genre: (though he's a demon and doesn't actually have a gender), (when i say slow burn i mean for them, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Good Omens Fusion, Demon Akira, Genderfluid Akira, Historical Inaccuracies, Kind of an abrupt ending but it fits (I think), M/M, No Apocalypse, Remember the "Not a Slow Burn" tag?, Slow Burn, angel Goro, characters might be added as i go along, for us it might be quite quick), i'm using akira for this story, ignore it, just two idiots falling in love throughout history, the other tags are for ease to find the story, there's lot of heresy in this story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-10-14 06:08:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 16,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20595983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nagiru/pseuds/Nagiru
Summary: In the beginning, there were two Angels of Justice... at the end, it was more like two Tricksters working together against all.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I found this prompt on the Persona Kink Meme and just... really loved it. So, since I've just returned to writing Persona stories, decided to try my hand at it.  
It's not... _quite_ what the OP asked for (sorry, OP), but it's been fun to write.  
As I post this, I have 4 chapters complete and one more in the work. I don't know how many chapters there will be, in total, since I'm just writing any history point tickles my fancy, so...
> 
> (oh yeah: history is not my strongest suit; neither is religion. So, take _everything_ with a grain of salt, yeah? I'm writing for kicks, but I'm _certainly_ not being accurate in my... history... or religious comments... uh...)
> 
> **Disclaimer:** Neither Persona 5 nor Good Omens belong to me.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 6000 years ago, when Earth was created, there was an angel and a demon in Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yeah. Quick, important note...  
I didn't think "Akira" and "Goro" were believable names for angels (or demons), so I... gave them angelic names. Thus, Goro is Gabriel (... for kicks and fun just as much as for the relative similarity in names...), and Akira is Akrasiel (a real angel, apparently, who's considered The Angel of Justice in the Jewish religion). They'll get to the names we're used to at... some point.

Golden eyes stared back at him from the shadows. Shadows suspiciously similar to long waves of black, actually, instead of something natural made. Not that anything here was less than natural; even these waves should be considered natural, he supposed.

After all, when one’s in Eden, there aren’t many other options.

“Show yourself, snake,” he ordered, white wings raised protectively over the gates of Heaven.

He received a slight chuckle in response, shadows moving curiously for a moment before those golden eyes were closer.

“Don’t sound so suspicious,” the being answered, voice thick and sweet and that strange lack of both age and gender that could only point to two things. “I do not care to step inside Heaven again. In fact, if I never return, it will still be too soon.”

“Such heresy, Demon.” He tutted lightly, staring down the gold of the demon’s eyes. “If you do not care for Heaven, then why _are_ you here?”

The shadows moved a bit, showing off a dangerous grin full of fangs that really shouldn’t be as thrilling as it was. “Oh, you know. I came to admire the weather! It’s such a _beautiful _day…” Shadows expanded a bit, gesturing at the expanse of blue sky and white clouds. “Kinda boring, really. But beautiful.”

He looked the same direction — blue sky and white wisps of clouds wherever he looked, just as it had been the day before. And the day before that. And every day before that. This was all God had created, after all.

“You can see this same sky at any point in creation. Stop lying.”

The shadows trembled a bit — at first, he thought the demon was scared of him… but, no, it seemed to be more of a…

Laugh?

“Oh, I do not doubt you’ll find out soon,” the demon murmured heavily. “Why, it must be starting any point now, in fact!”

He didn’t like the sounds of that.

There really was nothing he could do, though, he discovered a moment later as the Gates of Heaven behind his back just… burst outwards.

Like a sea (had God created that yet?), several beings pushed out, pushing him out of the way as they flew away.

When it was over and he had been left to just stare at the back of the retreating angels — or were they demons, by this point? —, he turned back around.

And found the demon right by his side, shadows pulled back to reveal an androgynous looking creature. Fangs peeked out of their lips, those eyes glittered with too much gold and a pupil not too dissimilar to those felines out on Earth, and from his back two enormous wings spread out, in a beautiful shade of midnight-black. Otherwise, the creature’s image was very… human-like. With all those bone structures he had watched be created, and that… _hair_ spilling from his head, falling long and wavy to his legs.

Strange. He hadn’t thought an immortal being with the capacity of being anything would have decided to look like a _human_.

“Hello,” murmured the demon with an innocent lilt to their voice that just didn’t fit them. “You know, I have seen you around for a while, now. Are you the Gate Angel or something? Because you always seem to be around here…”

He scoffed, ruffling his feathers as if trying to shake this other presence off. Not that he tried too hard… he might want to hear them out, perhaps.

“I will have you know I am the Angel of Justice.” He said sharply. “Nothing as ridiculous as a _Gate _Angel.”

“Ohhh, of course,” drawled the demon with an irritating smirk. “Why, apologies, I couldn’t recall having done these duties back in my day, but perhaps the meaning of Angel of _Justice_ has changed since my fall.”

He snorted inelegantly (and proceeded to gather his wits about him again, because _why_ had he done this? All the fault of this slimy demon…). “You? An Angel of Justice?”

The demon spun around, spreading their wings out with a playful gesture. “Yes. Problem?”

“Several, in fact,” he muttered back. “If you’re so intent on keeping this lie, what would you call yourself?”

The demon bowed down in a mocking gesture, wing curling curiously around their middle as they did so. “Akrasiel, at your service.”

He laughed. “Of course you’d come up with a fake name.”

The so-called Akrasiel glared up at him — or… not glared but curled their lips out in a… _pout_? “Not fake. Name’s Akrasiel. Though I guess I can’t really go by this name anymore… Still, better than Raguel, which they tried to call me, once upon a time…”

He felt the… sudden urge to pat this demon in the head. What was _wrong _with him? He required a mission, that’s what.

Had to be.

“Of course, your foul fiend.” He said, shuffling his feathers again. “However, I do believe you have already taken too much of my time. Shuffle along, I do not wish to see your face ever again.”

“If it’s just the face, I can always come up with a better appearance…” Akrasiel said, wings trembling lightly. “Or I can hide my face and just appear around as…” A pause, and he was curious despite himself. “Oh! A cat! How about it?”

… of course it’d be something ridiculous like that.

“Shuffle along,” he repeated, snapping his beak at the idiot.

Dutifully, Akrasiel hid away in the shadows. Before their eyes disappeared, however, they stopped just one moment longer.

“Do I own the honor of getting your name, oh so Just?”

They’d never go away, would they?

“Gabriel. They call me Gabriel.”

“Pleasure, Gabriel. Call me Akra.” Akrasiel--_Akra_ said, before finally disappearing.

Gabriel shook his head, turning back to his duty.

Before he could relax, though, that voice — _Akra’s_ voice reached him again. “Oh, and enjoy the gift I left you. Perhaps you’ll be in a better mood when we next see each other, yeah?”

“What _gift_?”

No voice answered him. Or, at least, no clear voice.

Instead, he heard screams and orders to come to battle, and he realized the stupid demon had made sure _he _was the one in charge of dealing with the falling angels.

Just _lovely_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is divine punishment to be dealt, Akra _isn't_ just an annoyance, and sometimes Gabriel is startingly okay with ignoring the deviations in God's plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I'm feeling down and can't quite write a new chapter right now (though I'm up to chapter 6, at least), so... have a chapter, because I'm honestly too annoyed to properly hoard my chapters until a later date.

**Chapter 2**

Gabriel wished he could say he forgot the demon in the centuries (millennia?) since their first — and _last _— meeting. He’d be lying.

Still, he’d never thought they’d _meet_ again, despite the demon’s parting words.

“Why! Aren’t you Gabriel?” Akra — the ridiculous _Akra_, of course — said brilliantly, almost shaking from how much they jiggled by his side. “I see you have received a body, as well!”

Gabriel sighed; by now, he was well used to his human body, but he still didn’t quite _enjoy_ it. In fact, after experiencing it, he could understand even _less_ why Akra had chosen to use it back in Eden.

“I see you have not changed faces, despite your promise to.” He said to the demon, barely looking at them from the corner of his eyes.

Akra hummed lightly, tilting their head back and allowing their hair to fall from their shoulders. “Well. I do believe I changed _a bit_, since. And, anyway, I didn’t _promise_ anything. I’d have changed, if I had promised. I keep my promises!”

Gabriel snorted. “A demon. Who keeps promises.”

“Yes.” It was… strange, not seeing Akra’s wings. Gabriel could still remember their last meeting perfectly, the way Akra’s wings seemed to be part-art, part-expressions, instead of being… well. _Wings_. “I have _honor_, yeah?”

“If you say so.” Best change subjects before Akra made him waste his time _again_. “What are you doing here, demon?”

Akra spread their (no… Gabriel looked at them again, and decided they looked more like a _he_, this time around. Less soft on the face and more built around the body. Perhaps they _did_ change a bit, after all) arms, and Gabriel could easily imagine him spreading his wings, instead.

“On a mission. As I suppose you are, as well.” Akra said, easily. “I am here to ensure no ten just men will be found in the city.”

Gabriel felt cold spread through him at the words. He set his jaw and stared the demon down. “I will have to detain you right here, then, because _I _have to protect those same ten men, as they are found.”

Akra grinned. “Oh, but I never said I’d threaten them _after_ they are found, did I? If you manage to find them, they are all yours!”

“You…”

Before he could say anything else, though, Akra leaned in, a soft smirk on his lips and those same glittering, ethereal gold eyes staring directly into his soul. “Race you?”

He barely had time to understand what the demon had said before Akra was disappearing between houses and people.

“Oh, that damned fiend…!”

**.**

Two days later, Gabriel was forced to admit there weren’t ten just men in town.

“Giving up already?”

He hissed sharply, turning to glare at the smirking demon. “_Akra_.”

The demon hummed lightly. “I am thinking of changing my name… what do you think?”

“I think you have killed the just of this town, it’s what I think.”

Akra’s smirk spread, all teeth and cutting edges. Gabriel was surprised to see his teeth were… teeth, not fangs. Though he _did _support sharper teeth than most humans Gabriel had ever seen.

“Why, you think so little of me, _Gabriel_.” He demurred with a flutter of eyelashes. “I did nothing of the kind! I am but a demon of justice, going around making sure justice is delivered to those who require it.”

“A _demon of justice_.”

Akra beamed. “Yes! I quite like the title, don’t you?”

… Right. Best not to engage.

Gabriel sighed, shaking out invisible wings behind his back. “I suppose I shall escort Lo and his family out of here before divine punishment is delivered.”

Was it the light or had Akra’s eyes softened?

… Must have been the light.

“Best winds in your journey, dear.” Akra murmured, voice just as sweet then as it had been back in Eden.

Before Gabriel could say anything else, Akra was disappearing in shadows again.

“Such dramatics…” He muttered to himself, turning away from where Akra had stood moments before.

He had a mission to complete, after all.

**.**

Divine justice rained down swift and fiery. As God’s Messenger and Angel of Justice, Gabriel was the one responsible for delivering this bout of justice — just as he’d been responsible to delivering the threat, in the first place.

This time, he felt the demon before he could open his mouth.

“You must be feeling satisfied.” Gabriel commented lightly, still staring at the fiery mess under him.

No life would be left in this place, he knew. That’s just the nature of God’s fire: it destroys everything in its path of purification.

After way too long, Akra finally answered. “Am I?”

Gabriel tilted his head lightly, watching the demon from the corner of his eyes. Akra’s wings were visible again, and they were…

A mess.

Gabriel hadn’t even realized it, but… back in Eden… Akra’s wings had been perfectly groomed. Unlike any angel’s wings he had ever seen.

Now, though, Akra’s wings were just as disheveled as any angel’s wings.

Wings of someone who cared not for how they looked, and wings of someone who had spent the past days flying non-stop.

“Too many people to kill?” Gabriel sneered, eyes still stuck on the dirt on the black wings.

Akra smiled lightly, staring straight at him. “Not enough.”

He scoffed. “Of course.”

They just… stood there, in silence. Watching the flames devour two cities full of sin and sinners.

It was… strangely comforting, the dark presence by his side.

“You know, I never said I’d killed anyone,” Akra said lightly, as if commenting on the weather.

(It was dark. Stormy. Full of the smell of blood.

This was centuries — or perhaps millennia — after the creation of Earth. Eventually, God _had_ come around to creating more than just blue sky and white wisps of clouds, it turned out.

… Gabriel kind of preferred the boringness of the start of times.)

“No, you just came here to make sure I would not find ten just men.”

“Yes.” _Shameless._ “I never said what I would do if I _found_ those men, though.”

Gabriel was ready to scoff at him again — however, following Akra’s gaze he found…

A camp? On the opposite side of where Gabriel had escorted Lo and his family.

He didn’t want to think of it, but… perhaps… “… how many?”

If he said ten…

Akra might have read the threat on his face, because when he answered, he did _not_ say ten. Or maybe it might be the truth. “Seven.”

Seven just men. Not enough to save the city, not enough to really be _against _Gabriel’s orders…

Just. Seven. Seven just men who…

Who would’ve been killed anyway, when Gabriel rained justice on the town.

Perhaps Akra wasn’t as much a demon as he liked to pretend to be.

(and perhaps Gabriel should chase them and strike them down; they were men from the same town he had burned for justice after all…

… but his orders never were to _chase anyone who might have escaped_. If this happened, God likely saw it coming. If God really wanted them dead, he’d have said so.

This was all part of God’s plan, then.

Maybe.)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Akira sets his name, The Flood still happens, and "Ineffable" isn't for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm up to chapter 9 at the moment, so I might update more frequently. Twice a week, perhaps. That's nice...

**Chapter 3**

“We should stop meeting each other like this, demon.”

Akira looked up from the mass of people he had been watching to find Gabe standing just there, a disgruntled look on his red eyes.

(he knew humans noticed the color of Gabe’s eyes, and he understood; no human had _red _eyes…

… but he enjoyed them, and they fit well with the angel’s wings, with all their flecks of blood against white feathers, so Akira never quite got around to explaining it to him.)

“Why, if it isn’t my favorite angel!” He said grinning broadly. He knew just how much this got into Gabe’s nerves and _that_ was something lovely to watch.

Gabe rolled his lovely eyes, “Shut up, Akra.”

Akira hid a small smile at the gesture. The angel was such a lovely thing… all proper and polite in front of humans, but so ridiculously easy to tease and annoy when they were alone. It was _endearing_.

“I already told you; it’s _Akira_.” He corrected lightly. “So. What you doing here, this time? Saving a priest from temptation? Bringing justice to a corrupted farmer for wronging one of these lovely animals?” He paused. “By the way, why _are_ the humans sticking all those animals into that boat? And why is there a boat in _dry land_?”

… he was clearly left out of whatever this was, because by Gabe’s slow blinking and raising eyebrow, this was clearly important.

“You don’t know.”

He snorted; if he _had _known, he’d not have _asked_…

… or maybe he might have, anyway.

“It’s…” Gabe stopped, recollected himself, and proceeded. “God is feeling a bit… _irritated_, I suppose.”

_‘When not?’_

He didn’t say it. “What happened this time?”

“Oh, you know, the usual. Sinners repeating the sins of those before them.” Gabe waved a hand dismissively. “So, They sent me to warn the humans. When that didn’t work out…”

“They sent you to clean it up?” Akira offered dryly.

Gabe shook his head. “No. Not this time.”

So no watching over burning towns, this time. Nice to know.

“God’s plan is to send a flood, this time.”

_What in Hell._

Slowly, Akira realized this wasn’t a joke. Not that Gabriel _joked_, but still… “And… what… send the animals away in a boat?”

“Two of each; a male and a female.” Gabe nodded, as if it made _sense_.

Deadpan, Akira added: “And the animals will know how to sail away from the flood.”

“Of course not. It’s God’s plan. They’d be able to arrive wherever they needed to be. God’s plans are infallible, after all.”

Akira snorted. “I thought the term was _ineffable_?”

He received a glare for that. He certainly didn’t mind it as much as he should.

“_Anyway_,” Gabe continued over his silent snickers. “The animals won’t be sailing themselves. Of course.” Aaaaand there was the tone of _‘are you an idiot, demon?’_ the angel had perfected over their last couple meetings. Akira hid a grin. “There’s Noah. And his family. They’ll be keeping an eye on the animals, and they’ll be allowed to live through the flood.”

This thing again? “… just them?”

“Yes, well. They are the only devote ones, so God will cleanse the whole of humanity and leaving them to repopulate Earth.”

“_Earth_?” Akira repeated, because there must be something wrong. What kind of flood will take out the whole _planet_?

“Well. Here, at least. Perhaps God isn’t angry with the Chinese. And Australia. And the Americans. Though I’m sure They are angry with Europe and Africa and part of Asia, so I’m not sure about _them_…”

Akira shook his head slowly. “What’s the problem with a simple old fight for freedom? Those were good times…”

Gabe sent him another baleful glare. “Yes. _Good_ times. That ended up with half of Heaven in Hell.”

Akira shrugged easily. “Good times. It was all much simpler, at least.” Well. “Or not _simpler_, but… made _sense_. Freedom is something I can get behind. Now, genocide? That’s… that’s downright _devious_. Yet, somehow, that’s what _both_ sides have been standing for, nowadays!”

Gabe ignored him, as he was prone to do whenever Akira questioned God’s plans. Or Hell’s disturbing new policies.

… Thinking about it, Gabe ignored him _a lot_.

“So… we just stand here and… watch? Watch all… just…” _die_, he completed mentally. All these children. All these families. Just… _die_.

There was the tiniest movement that one might call a shrug, but coming from Gabe was likely just an attempt to push him away.

Akira would stick to ‘a shrug’.

“Whatever.” He said thickly, staring at the still clear sky. Stupid, fake clear sky. He should just get up and… go.

He didn’t — neither did Gabriel.

As they stood watch, the animals were herded inside by the pair. Two by two, they disappeared into the giant boat, and two by two, time ran out.

When every last animal was secure inside (… except for one or two who ran out on them. Akira hoped the ones they still had were females. And that they were already carrying child, for their sake, if not his pleasure), dark, heavy clouds had started to gather over them.

When the boat was completely secure, the skies opened up — heavy raindrops falling over them, building up and up and _up_. Never letting up. Never letting go. Leaving them nowhere to run or be taken to. Everywhere, drowning in rain, just to be granted a bit of light at the end.

Perhaps Gabriel was right.

Perhaps God’s plans _were_ infallible (… and rather ineffable as well).

(_or just cruel_, Akira thought as his hair stuck to his face and back and arms, heavy under the assault of the water. _There was always that possibility._)

… still, Akira preferred when Gabriel was wrong. It was much easier to go against God’s plans when they _failed_, after all.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira finally decides "Gabriel" is a mouthful, Gabriel doesn't like "Gabe", and we end up with "Goro", somehow. Also, _Goro_ is decidedly bad with children, and Akira is decidedly bad at dealing unearned death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so, quick reminder: this is not faithful to any religion, and I'm sorry if I end up sounding mocking to yours. I swear it was not the intention.  
With that out of the way, let's all pretend things make sense!

**Chapter 4**

Gabriel was the Messenger of God. Akira knew that, of course. He’d seen Gabriel at his work many times, now.

He just never quite… thought about what it could possibly mean, perhaps.

“You’re supposed to tell a woman she’s having God’s child?” Akira repeated, just to be sure he understood things right.

“Yes.” Gabe rolled his eyes. “I have said that already.”

“Ohhh, Gabe. This is _golden_. You, with a _mother_?” He snickered. “You’re awful with mothers. And children. Especially children.”

He received a patented ‘you are pissing me off and I just might smite you’ glare for that (and a grumble that _might _have been a “don’t call me _Gabe_, demon”). He grinned innocently back at his…

Friend?

After a moment while Akira was lost in thoughts trying to decide _what in Hell_ (or, no, better not to think of Hell. What on Earth?) he and Gabriel were, Gabe finally said: “I know. Telling her the news is easy: pop in, ‘you will birth the child of God’, pop out. Problem is, I’m also supposed to… _keep watch_ over the child, as it grows.”

Ohhh. Akira grimaced lightly. “Makes sense, I suppose. Can’t just let the Almighty’s son running around risking death at any corner, can you?”

Gabe nodded, sullen. “But it’s a _child_, anyway, and…”

“And you don’t do children.” Akira finished for him.

… if only Akira could change his jobs with him… he was supposed to be spreading the plague in a town, after all, and he _hated_ even just the idea of it. This kind of destruction… it was too wide spread, too cruel, for his tastes. Take off someone who deserved it? No problem.

Kill a whole _town_?

That was more…

Gabriel’s line of duty.

He grinned sharply, turning to the angel. “You know. I am supposed to spread the plague in a town. Spread the plague and watch as the habitants run around, what they’d do before dying…” _Hope for a bit of damnation, instead of new-found faith… _“But I hate the idea. And _you_…”

Akira had to give it to Gabe: he wasn’t stupid.

“Don’t even think.” Gabe hissed sharply.

“But!” Akira whined, putting on his best _abandoned kitten _expression. “They didn’t even specify which town. And did God honestly request that _you _were the one keeping watch over Their child, or did he just request that a watch was kept over Their child?”

“We’re not doing this.” Gabe stated with finality.

Oh well. It was worth trying.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” He murmured.

He still wouldn’t spread that plague, though.

**.**

A year later, Gabe appeared before him again. This marked the shortest reprieve they had from one another; a _miracle_.

“Akira…” He started, and Akira held his hopes, a small smile playing on the corner of his lips. “I give up. Let’s… _I can’t believe I’m saying this…_ Let’s change jobs.”

He wanted to cheer, to go around flying, to laugh, to…

“Why are you so sure I haven’t done my job yet, Gabe?” He asked, arranging his face into a pleasant and innocent smile, just like the ones Gabe favored himself.

Gabe scoffed — possibly at his face, but also possibly at the question, hard to tell. “Really? I know you; you’d have come gloating the moment it was done.”

_Or gone whining…_ Akira corrected silently.

“Oh well.” He shrugged, leaning back in his seat, a cup of something hot and strangely strong in his hands. “Suppose you’re right. So, what do you propose? I care for your child for a year as you release the plague in some random town for me?”

Gabe should really think about teaching others to glare like that…

“If we are doing this, we are doing this properly,” he chided, clearly on the verge of rolling his eyes. Again.

“Of course, Gabe,” he murmured sweetly, hiding his own victory at those words.

Red eyes stared at him unblinkingly over bared teeth. Why, Gabriel was looking positively… _devilish_ right now!

“First off,” Gabriel said with such heaviness Akira thought his words would fall to the ground and make it sink. “You will stop calling me ‘Gabe’. Second, you will watch over Jesus until the time comes that I am out of this duty… which would mean _you _are not required anymore for this duty. And third… I choose the town.”

Akira grinned broadly. “Of course. I’d never dare dream of choosing the town myself… _Gariel_.”

“I’m going to kill you. Slowly.”

… huh. “You know, usually that message is merely implied. I’m surprised you found it necessary to give it voice, this time. Garel.”

“I _mean it_, Akrasiel.”

Playing dirty, is it? Akira could get behind this. With a widening grin, he started listing off, watching out for Gabriel’s (quite obvious and vocal…) reactions. “Gari. Garil. Briel. Biel. No, ok, Ga… Gabiel? Nope. Ga…ro. Garo? Sounds weird...”

Gabriel’s voice was but a growl as he threatened, _again_. “_Akira_.”

A-ha. “Goro.”

“How did you even get to _that_?” Gabriel — _Goro_ — asked plainly.

“Growl-o. And your reaction to Garo was the lightest one. So. Goro.” He explained easily enough.

_Goro_ sighed annoyed. “I hope you are stuck in babysitting duty for a _long_ while.”

“Of course, darling,” he demurred with a quiet snicker.

Best part ever: Goro never thought to threaten to step out of their arrangement.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesus was always destined for death. Unfortunately, Akira hadn't known that.

**Chapter 5**

Akira heard of the… _crime _committed by God’s son before Goro even came to him. He wasn’t following the kid anymore (and knew he wasn’t a _kid_ anymore), but he still kept tabs on the boy, so it wasn’t too hard to hear about.

(the other demons weren’t very quiet about it, either, and Akira always felt so _choked up _whenever they mentioned it…)

“You know you should be gloating, right?” Goro asked as he sat down beside Akira.

“Probably, yes.” Akira admitted, frowning at his drink — he wasn’t even sure what it was, just that it didn’t have the desired effect yet. On that note… he used a bit of his powers to strengthen it up. “But all I can think about is his face when he learned to talk… or his face playing with other kids… or his voice as he said he wanted to see the world.”

The drink was certainly stronger now. It could still be strengthened, though, so he did it.

“I thought you’d want to be there, at least.” Goro said. Akira could hear the frown on his voice, but couldn’t really turn to look at him. Not now.

“I should, probably.” He said quietly. “But… I _can’t_.” He drank the whole thing in a single gulp. “I can’t see him die.”

Goro hummed companionably, and Akira appreciated it. This reminded him of all those times when Akira would stumble upon him in the midst of a job, wings out and flecked with blood — even though this had _nothing _to do with those situations. It was just… the quiet reprieve from their jobs, from sinners and punishment, even when it was just after a job or when they were currently watching another sinner punished.

“You should try this,” he said for lack of words. He raised his cup in Goro’s direction, magicking it full again from the jar in the corner of the room. “C’mon. Let me tempt you, just this once.”

Goro’s eyes lingered on the cup for a while but, ultimately, he shook his head.

“You’ve already tempted me into doing your dirty work. I am not falling for this again.”

Akira smiled slightly. “Oh well. One should always try.” With a shrug, he drank it all again. “Keep me company while I try to get drunk?”

For whatever reason, Goro did.

**.**

Akira woke up still wasted, the taste of alcohol heavy on his tongue. He was also alone. In a place he didn’t remember going.

He frowned lightly, trying to think through the molasse in his mind. Right. He should probably… sober up, yeah?

He looked around for something where to magic the drink but found nothing. Well. He supposed he could always just… magick it _off_ and waste the damn thing.

He did just so with a groan, blinking owlishly at the sky above him. It was… a very clear blue sky. He wasn’t too sure he enjoyed rain with all its… wetness (and destruction and death and hair sticking to him), but in this exact moment, he would prefer it to this… _blueness_.

Especially without red eyes glaring at him by his side.

He pushed himself up, magicking the dust and dirt from his clothes and skin as he did so. Being in a human body was very entertaining, but it was also hard work, most times, and just now he…

Just wasn’t feeling it.

Perhaps it was time he work on his assignments, after all. Some pranks and tempting should do him a well of good.

(… and perhaps he’d take some liberties and… aim at those who actually _deserved _the punishment. In the end, they’d go down to Hell either way, so why should he refrain himself from quickening the process?

… of course, there was the small fact that his bosses always told him to _let them be_, so they could tempt others themselves… but, well. One soul less wasn’t going to hurt them.)

In the distance, he watched a cross with a familiar man stuck to it, and he suddenly knew exactly where he was.

He spun in place, wings flaring out into existence, and swore to himself never to trust Goro to keep an eye on him again.

(when they met again, eight years later, and Goro accepted to share that drink with him, he never thought of this promise of his. He only had to keep his word when it was given to others, after all.)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where there's a cameo of Ann, Akira is a cat, and Gabriel is simply disgruntled with all of this.

**Chapter 6**

Gabriel had been assigned to several different tasks in a short period of time, for the simple fact that “it was all close together”. As if it made things  _ less _ annoying.

Still, it led him to a quite curious situation, he supposed. He certainly didn’t expect being responsible for a  _ cat _ , for one.

And he  _ certainly  _ didn’t expect said cat to be a demon in disguise.

“Looking for an excuse to drape yourself over ladies now, Akira?” He asked, hand curling around his hip.

The small cat sniffed haughtily. “As if  _ I  _ ever needed an excuse to approach ladies. Are you confounding yourself with me, Goro?”

He would not growl, he would not growl, he would  _ not  _ growl…

He found himself growling at the irritating pest before he could help himself.

“I thought we had agreed you would stop calling me by that despicable name.”

Akira laughed — or as close to it as a cat could come, anyway —, swiveling back to rest his front paws on Go… _ Gabriel’s _ leg. “I remember promising not to call you  _ Gabe _ . I never said anything about calling you by your name.”

He wanted to kick this retched thing. He did.

But he had also promised Lady Ann he’d take care of her cat while she walked with her company maiden, and kicking it was  _ not _ the way to go. Even if it  _ was _ a demon.

“Are you here to tempt Lady Ann?” He asked cautiously, lowering one hand to grab Akira by the scruff, if only so he would seem to be doing his job.

The cat struggled a bit before settling down with an annoyed glare in his direction. “Of course not,” he said testily. “I am here to keep an eye on another demon’s job. And try to tempt some of the town’s ladies into witchcraft, I suppose.”

Gabriel had thought so once, but Akira’s eyes really befitted a feline.

The mission suited him just as well.

“Witchcraft.” He repeated dryly. “You do know you can’t  _ tempt  _ humans into witchery. They are either witches at birth or they won’t ever be one.”

Akira made a little sound that… sounded a lot like a purr (was that even  _ possible _ ? He wasn’t really a  _ cat _ ; he was a  _ demon _ ), and nudged at Gabriel’s nose with a little paw. “Oh, dear. Of course I know that.”

He kept glaring at the demon, waiting for more — for something that  _ explained  _ this, perhaps. After way too long, the demon finally huffed, relaxing into his hold. “It’s more like, I’m supposed to make  _ others  _ believe these girls to be witches. Then…”

_ They’d all be killed. _ Of course.

“It is expected of just men to end the threat against humanity,” Goro said simply. “This would mean nothing to Heaven; were the souls just, they would still end up in Heaven, regardless of the hunting of those deserving it.”

Akira’s voice was quiet as he said, “Those  _ deserving  _ it,” with more emphasis than absolutely required.

Of course. Perhaps it would be safe for those hunting the so-called ‘witches’… but was he certain?

Of course, Akira was thinking of something entirely different, as always. “Except the girls would all be dead, anyway, and those who killed her…” Gabriel thought he knew the demon well enough by now to know how to finish that sentence:

_ Would just walk away. _

He didn’t have anything to say to that — so, he said nothing, just carried Akira with him as he stepped back inside.

**.**

Lady Ann needed… more help than Gabriel expected.

Oh, she was perfectly safe from Hell (and Hell’s intentions, apparently, since Akira never said a thing). However, her lady companion…

Well. There seemed to be someone — a someone with a very dark soul — intent on her, and Lady Ann seemed to have taken it upon herself to change things.

Even if it put her in danger, in the process.

“My lady…,” he started with a sigh, watching as the human gathered her cat (her  _ cat _ ; Gabriel still couldn’t quite believe that, and those golden eyes seemed to take infinite amusement from it). “Shouldn’t you request the knights to do it for you? You will end up hurt. Or worse.”

He still wasn’t too sure why he had been assigned to protect a human; he had never before been a  _ guardian angel _ . Still, if he had been assigned, this once, it probably meant she was someone important. Or  _ would be  _ someone important.

Perhaps her child would grow up to save the town? Perhaps her faith was so strong it would free her companions?

It wasn’t his place to question it, he supposed.

“Oh, if you keep this up, I won’t even bring  _ you _ along, Sir Gabriel.” She said, focusing her best glare at him. It wasn’t too strong but he would applaud her for the attempt. “I will not allow this… this…  _ vile  _ man to keep threatening my friends. So, you either follow me to ‘keep me safe’, or you stay here and wait to hear about the results.”

Okay. Perhaps her glare wasn’t as ineffective as he thought. She might be getting classes from her damned  _ cat _ .

Or not. Akira was more the kind to grin at you than glare.

As he thought on the subject, Lady Ann huffed and started walking out on him. That, as it happens, he did notice. With a sigh, he followed her, shooting a small glare in Akira’s direction as the cat seemed to grin all the broader from over Lady Ann’s shoulder.

Stupid demon.

Still… later on, after Lady Ann recklessly confronted the, he had to admit,  _ quite  _ vile man, and Akira had come to the rescue…

Perhaps he wasn’t  _ too  _ stupid.

Gabriel still didn’t think the demon should have interfered to the point he had, but… well. Akira  _ had  _ always preached about freedom, whenever he discussed Heaven and Hell’s policies.

And it even worked in his favor, so Gabriel certainly wouldn’t complain the end the man reached. If he had been rendered out of commission earlier than expected…

It just meant he wouldn’t be able to tarnish anyone else, didn’t it?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Akira is a bit of a prankster, _Goro_ is a bit of a prankster, and somehow they both end up as gods. Or... _a_ god.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm up to chapter 13 at the moment (and expect 4-5 more after that one, tops) but chapter 14 is being a pain in the ass, so I'll just... keep posting like this, twice a week.

**Chapter 7**

Akira might have… danced around _ some _ of his assignments… and then taken creative license with the ones he _ did _ fulfill… _ But _he could also say he never lost sight of his mission.

(not the Hell-given mission, of course; that one, he could give less shit about)

So, when he heard tale of people who required some… _ creative punishment_, he might have… gone to check it out.

Why, they were the perfect candidates for Hell! It was not his fault that he usually ended up _ shortening _the list of Hell candidates when finished. Really.

(and he always made sure to make it sound like he had been the one to corrupt those original ones whenever he wrote his reports, anyway, so it wasn’t like anyone gave a fuck about it)

But he’d never expected… _ this_.

“You mean… these people,” he gestured to the near settlement, full of warmly clothed people. “They… what? Decided that my doings are the doings of… a god of theirs? What’s the name…”

“Loki.” Goro offered easily. “And, half of it. They decided that you… or better yet, whomever is doing these… ‘punishments’ and pranks… is Loki. Who they later decided was a god, because only a god would be able to keep at it for so long.”

He blinked slowly — but, no, Goro didn’t seem to be kidding just now. What on _ Earth_…

“Lemme see this.” He asked, reaching for the report Goro seemed to have put together about this… _ Loki’s_… doings.

Strangely, when he allowed Akira to grab the report, Goro seemed to be… flustered? Not that he was _ flushing _ (which, anyhow, required a bit more of effort in synchronizing with their bodies than Akira expected from any angel), but he just seemed… flustered. If only he could see Goro’s wings, he’d know for sure, but…

Well. Whatever.

He started reading the report, since he couldn’t quite make heads or tails of Goro’s behavior just now.

There were… several of Akira’s doings, that was true. Many of the pranks he had played around these parts — always aiming at those who might deserve it —, and many of the stronger punishments were also there. Even the one with the wolf (which, in his opinion, had been a masterpiece) was included in the reports.

But there were also several things that Akira _ hadn’t _ done, included there.

“Well. At least I can say they aren’t worshipping _ me _ as their god. That’d be a… heresy I never quite thought about,” he said, smirking a bit. “But… well. I guess my people wouldn’t quite mind that, would they? Anyway. So… these,” he pointed to the part where the doings that weren’t his seemed to be centered. “These aren’t mine.”

… Was Goro getting _ even more _flustered?

“Ah.” The angel said awkwardly. “No. No, I didn’t expect you to claim them.”

Had Goro been _ watching him_? Own. That was… cute. Strange, but… cute, he supposed.

He grinned, ready to tease his angel a bit, when Goro continued. “I know who did them, so… it just… never went into question.”

Mm? Akira paused, watching every millimeter of Goro’s face — especially his eyes, those bloody-red, beautiful eyes —, and realized something.

“Goro… are these doings _ yours_?”

Well, would you look at that. It seemed Goro _ was _synchronized enough with his body to support a blush!

“Maybe.” He sniffed haughtily. “I was around, and the situations presented themselves, and it’s not like they were _ against _ my orders, and”

“Goro, dear,” he interrupted, a grin spreading over his face. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. Though,” he added, trying to hide a snicker. “I certainly don’t mind the ‘flustered babbling’ look.”

He didn’t mind the ‘shut up, you fiend’ look, either, but that one was much more common, unfortunately.

“So.” Akira said a bit later, after he managed to reign in his laughter. “This list is composed of… what? My pranks and your pranks? And… is there any here that wasn’t done either by me or you?”

Goro shook his head, hair falling fluffy and cute and oh-so long around his face, and Akira really wanted to reach out and test whether it was as nice to touch as it was to watch, but he refrained from doing so, less he earn himself some holy smiting.

“No. They seem to be either yours or mine, as it is. I suppose it is because we, being ethereal beings, are beyond humans’ comprehension, and our… _ pranks_… are a bit more complex to pin down on other humans. Of course, I also heard tales of other pranks and punishments that have been ‘assigned’ to Loki, but later were discovered to have been done by someone or other. Or some that weren’t quite discovered, but… were likewise discarded, until only these remained. These, who are treated as something of… fear and respect and miracle, apparently.”

Ok, Akira was back into laughter street and he didn’t know whether he’d find his way out.

“Well, darling,” he managed, breathless but for the fact he didn’t _ require _ oxygen. “I thought you were _ annoyed _ at sharing a title with me, as it is. Now you plan on assuming _ godhood _ with dear old me?” He fluttered his eyelashes teasingly. “Why, if you wanted to share your eternity with me, you should have only asked!”

Would you look at that; Goro was back to growling!

“C’mon, dear counterpart. We have some pranks to pull and some people to teach justice to!”

Akira might have flown away to do just that.

He might also have flown away to run from the holy light seeping around Goro’s body, though.

Who’d know.

(though he also flew away chortling; dear, holier-than-thou, _ ever so perfectly just _ Gabriel being a master of pranks, to the point of being considered — a half of — a _ Trickster god_? Who’d _ know_?)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which: Goro is _not_ a damsel in distress, despite what Akira may say, Akira ventures into a church to save his friend, and cats are irresistible.

**Chapter 8**

Finding his angel (friend) was one of the easiest things ever; he just had to follow the rumors of pranks and unusual punishments that had not been doled out by him and there he was.

(Akira might have learned this after the whole Loki debacle; it was a good lesson, though)

However, he honestly didn’t expect… well.  _ This _ .

He’d just been looking for some companionship, honestly. He wanted to tempt Goro into sharing a drink with him, maybe even some food, or at least just to sit with him for a while and talk shit about their assignments.

Instead, he found a sharp feeling of  _ etherealness-perfection-holy-light-angel  _ and no… well, no Goro in sight.

“What on Earth have you managed  _ now _ ?” He asked no one in particular as he glanced around, trying to sift through the smells in the air for the one he was looking for.

Well, at least the smell  _ was  _ here, so Goro  _ should  _ still be in town… just,  _ where _ ?

One way to find out.

(Well, no, there were many, but, honestly, many of those would grab attention of people who had to business here…)

“Hello,” he said pleasantly, stopping one of the moving humans around. The woman, whose eyes seemed like the dull, human equivalent of the ones he had been searching for, stopped and watched him wearily. “I am sorry to bother you, miss. However, would it be possible you have seen my companion? He’s of a similar height to myself, with long brown hair and quite the unusual red eyes.”

She blinked slowly; Akira wasn’t sure if this meant she was thinking about it or just thinking of ditching him, but he’d give her the benefit of doubt.

“I am afraid he is long gone, Mister.” She answered curtly after a while.

_ Gone? _ “Beg your pardon?” The smell was still here, but… perhaps he’d just left? “Do you, by any chance, know where he might have gone?”

She looked around, hands twitching around the fabric of her skirt, but she nodded sharply. “There wasn’t much speculation involved; the blood-eyed demon caught the unwanted attention of our leader. He was taken not a day after.”

… Akira wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh more at the ‘demon’ comment or the fact that Goro somehow managed to piss off the leader of the town.

“I see.” He said, lips twitching. “I suppose the leader’s house is  _ that _ one?” He gestured in the direction of the tallest building of town.

Another weary look in his direction. The woman bit her lower lip quietly, a hand pushing her bangs off her face, her frown the perfect picture of indecision.

“Please,” he said quietly, layering heavily on his charm. “I swear not to even  _ hint  _ at your involvement.”

A beat, two — long enough for Akira to consider just magicking her into quiet, mind-numbing agreement —, but she finally nodded.

“Though,” she said before he could stalk off. “Your companion is likely at the church. Since there was talk of him being a demon… and the church has a basement where a person can be hidden easily enough.”

Of fucking  _ course _ .

“Thank you,” he said, because he wasn’t a  _ brute _ , despite what Goro might say at times.

Now… to find a way to confirm whether his angel was at this church or not before he went traipsing inside of sacred ground.

**.**

Of course the stupid angel was there.

Akira hadn’t wanted to believe the angel would be stupid enough to allow himself to not only be caught but also held captive, but… everything pointed to that being  _ exactly  _ what happened.

Stupid. Why did Akira like him, again?

Magick the lock open was easy. What wasn’t as easy was stepping into sacred ground.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he muttered, skipping a bit as he tried not to touch the ground as much. It  _ burnt _ , the motherfucker! He tried to walk as quickly as possible, hissing with every other step as  _ holy-protected-unwanted-sacred-God _ burnt at him, but he never stopped. “I hope he appreciates my fucking attempt to save him, that, that…  _ bastard _ !”

At least, the smell of Goro  _ was  _ getting stronger by the second, Akira was glad to notice. If he somehow had managed to get it wrong despite his nosing around…

There were two doors at the back of the church. One by the holy water  _ (oh please no) _ and one on the opposing wall. Akira really,  _ really _ hoped he got the right one, but…

Might try to make it easier on himself.

His magick struggled more against him when in contact with so much  _ holy-protection-resistance _ , but he wouldn’t allow this to stop him  _ now _ . Especially since he knew this was the quicker way to  _ get out of here _ , in the first place.

Both doors snapped open with a bit (or a lot) of push and imagination, and Akira looked through them from where he was standing, trying to find any hint of stairs.

Both had stairs. Of course.

He breathed deeply and forced himself to  _ look _ . Again.

He was at luck this time, at least. The stairs on the door by the holy water seemed to lead  _ up _ .

Satisfied with his assessment, Akira almost flew through the other doors (though he would never dare  _ actually _ fly inside a church, lest he lose his wings to those damned blessings), throwing himself down the stairs as soon as he got to them.

“Goro, you bastard, tell me you are here!” He hissed as he looked around, still jumping a bit in place though the ground down here didn’t burn quite as much, a healthy dose of  _ sin _ burning in the air.

Goro’s voice was the most beautiful thing ever, Akira decided when he heard a familiar groan from one of the nearest cells.

“Akira.” If there could be any more grudge in a word, Akira was sure Goro would have managed it.

With a grin, Akira neared the right cell, leaning forward (ohhh,  _ sin-blood-danger _ , beautiful, beautiful cell) to get a glimpse of burning red eyes and bared teeth.

“Hello, beautiful,” he greeted cheerfully, waving a hand to his angel. “How you doing? Decided on a bit of a vacation?”

It was dark enough to even  _ Akira  _ have problem seeing through it, but Goro’s face was as clear as day.

“If you prefer I leave you be…”

“Of course,  _ now _ you offer that,” grumbled Goro with an exaggerated eyeroll.

Akira snickered a bit, hand resting teasingly over the lock in the cell. “Just say the word.”

“Damned annoyance.”

He gasped happily. “A: those are  _ two  _ words. B: why, I always knew you loved me, Goro, but you shouldn’t have!”

“Fuck off, demon.” Goro snapped with a low growl. “If you’re just going to bother the holy out of me, go do it somewhere else.”

He could sober up. That would likely suit Goro best… but Akira had never been one to back off of a challenge.

“Oh, sure; then I’ll sit on the cell next door and sing until you change your mind!”

He spun quickly, hiding his grin with the fall of his hair as he heard Goro splutter a bit behind him.

“Don’t you  _ dare _ , demon!”

Akira laughed quietly, giving one step away before a hand caught his wrist.

“You…” Goro growled, annoyance clear in his voice. “Just. Open the damn lock.”

Akira enjoyed the moment or two of small victory before he turned back around, not even bothering to hide the grin on his face.

“Step away, darling,” he said with the tone he knew annoyed the angel the most. “I am rescuing my damsel in distress.”

“I am neither a damsel nor am I in distress and you  _ know it _ ,” Goro said huffily. He did step away though, even if he did so with a glare in his direction.

“Well, from where I am standing, you are  _ certainly _ in distress. Though I have to say I don’t understand why haven’t you miracled yourself out yet.”

Goro sighed heavily, averting his eyes as Akira magicked the door open. “I am here in a… personal quest. If Heaven gets wind of me being here, instead of fulfilling my latest assignment, it would be…  _ bothersome _ . I thought I could maybe find an opportunity to get away from this without involving any miracles.” He shrugged. “The worst thing that could happen is that I’d be discorporated for a while, anyway.”

Akira hummed in agreement, looking around the cell for a moment before stepping away and allowing Goro to leave the damn thing.

“Well. So, you’re welcome.  _ No one _ deserves the amount of paperwork that comes with discorporation.”

That startled a laugh from Goro, much to Akira’s smug appreciation.

The laugh also did much good to the angel, it turned out, because his tone was teasing as he answered. “Oh, how will I  _ ever _ repay you?”

“I’ll think of something,” Akira promised with a grin. “Now…”

Goro certainly didn’t expect Akira to just turn into his cat form, that much was clear, but he never complained when Akira threw himself at the angel and ordered, voice haughty: “Carry me out, angel!”

(it was  _ mostly _ because of the holy ground, Akira would answer if anyone asked him. Honestly, though, he just liked how Goro’s hands always ended up petting him a bit without any prompting.)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Gabriel rebels in small ways, Akira helps Heaven a bit, and there's the questioning of one's immortality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've finished writing this story with a total of 15 chapters (as has been changed in the Chapter Counting). The last two seem a bit... rushed, to me, but it just happened, and I can't really imagine another ending, right now, so it's staying like that.  
Anyway, what it means is that I'll now update this story more frequently so it's finished here, as well. Starting with this one.

**Chapter 9**

Gabriel read the report once more, feeling a heavy weight on his wings as he read the words, again and again.

He was the Messenger of God (not even an Angel of Justice anymore, he discovered when he flew over another human church; Gabriel wasn’t the symbol of Justice, just of God’s messages), and it was common for those messages he was supposed to deliver to be… _ heavier _ than a simple announcement of birth.

It didn’t mean that he _ enjoyed _ serving them. Mostly because of Metatron, the Scribe, but perhaps also because, sometimes, they were just… _ un_just.

Just because a group decided to turn from God’s words, did it mean Gabriel should have them and their families killed?

_ (he remembered blood and fire and utter destruction, and wondered if he had questioned his message back then just as he did now) _

He could… try and put the Fear of God into them, instead. Maybe that’d make them hear Their words again, instead of chasing them away. It was… worth a try, was it not?

However, he knew, already, that those still on Heaven would never agree to it. After all, if he just killed them _ now_, they could still have _ some _devotees sent up… whether, if he did try it, there was always the chance they would all turn their backs and be damned to the eternal fire of damnation.

Which meant… he needed a failsafe, in case this failed. A method of putting the blame somewhere else, in case his doled punishment made Heaven suffer. Perhaps someone willing to sign their name on the failed report. Or someone who could come up with a… _ fitting _ punishment and give him the out when some of those people he was supposed to kill just… _ happened _ to walk away.

Luckily, he knew just who to call for all that.

**.**

“Goro.” Akira’s voice was curiously surprised when he touched down by the demon’s side. It was… strangely compelling, Gabriel discovered.

Then, Akira’s eyes turned to Gabriel’s side, and Gabriel closed his expression again. He didn’t turn around to follow Akira’s sight; he knew exactly where the demon was gazing, after all. There was no need to check it out.

(no need to see the blood red feathers fanning out, an almost perfect match to the cloth covering Akira’s body)

Golden eyes softened a bit, cat-pupils dilating a bit at whatever he felt now, and Gabriel just had to stop him before whatever the fuck the demon decided to pull this time.

“Akira.”

“Right!” Those eyes focused back on Gabriel’s face, a smirk spreading over too red lips (did the demon put on make-up?). “So. _ You _ came to _ me_. What gives?”

He grimaced a bit, shaking his wings off a bit before phasing them away.

_ (out of sight, out of mind) _

“I require a…” He paused, parsing through the options before him. Make the demon stupidly happy or grudgingly annoyed? “Partner in crime.”

Stupidly happy it was.

The smirk morphed into a brilliant grin with an ease Gabriel never quite managed, Akira positively _ beaming _at him. “I thought you’d never ask! I have been proposing all our exchanges until now; I’m glad to see you have finally seen reason!”

He sniffed slightly, tossing hair out of his eyes. “I never said anything about the… _Agreement_.” He said in as clipped a tone as he could. “I was aiming more for a…” God, he could just imagine the sheer exhilaration that would pass over the demon’s face… “_Loki _ kind of partnership.”

He wasn’t disappointed. There was a mask of laziness in Akira’s face, but Gabriel knew him well enough to recognize the glint in his eyes as pure mischief. “Well, now…” The demon murmured, voice barely more than a purr. “Tell me more.”

There wasn’t even a moment of hesitation before Gabriel told him all.

**.**

“I still feel that last trick was unnecessary,” Gabriel muttered with a glance at the smirking demon. “It only caused more doubt to rise in their minds.”

Akira shrugged, clearly unbothered. He also lounged very lazily on top of the broken wall surrounding the town, so even if he _ had _been bothered, Gabriel didn’t think it would show.

“My intention was never to create _ blind faith_, Goro. You know that.”

Gabriel tilted his head in agreement, though the truth also felt heavy in his tongue. No, Akira had never been one for _ blind faith_; if he had been, they wouldn’t have to meet like this — away from curious eyes, with their powers hidden away.

“Anyway,” Akira said, kicking his feet repetitively against the old stones. “Your orders were worse than that; a bit of doubt will make them some good, don’t you think? As long as they don’t stray too far…”

Gabriel stared at the stones instead of staring at Akira’s face; they were younger than the both of them, but they were still so…

_ Old _ and _ broken_. Overrun by nature.

Was that their fate, as well?

“I suppose,” he said, sighing. He stared back at Akira — soft, dark eyes stared back at him, their hellish golden glow quieted into an almost humane color. It was… strange. Haunting, in a way. Akira wasn’t _ human_, just as he himself wasn’t human. This wasn’t… _ them_.

(they weren’t things that should grow old and musty and broken, overrun by nature. Their nature was always with them, from beginning to end; they were _ above _ that. They were… _ ethereal _ beings, forever in existence and forever _ beyond _ . This… this _ wasn’t them. _ They weren’t… _ stones_. They were…)

“Still. One of us should remain around. Keep an eye on them. See if our lessons stick. If they don’t…”

Akira hummed quietly. “I can keep an eye, if you want.” Ah, there it was. The glow in his eyes. “But we should make an agreement, don’t you think?”

He could feel his eye twitching. Even so, he allowed, sighing. “Give it to me.”

Akira’s laugh had always been…

_ Curious_.

“I will remain here, keeping an eye out. If you are assigned any other mission around here, I can do them for you, so your people won’t become… _ interested _ in the conflicting messages from down here.” All good until now, Gabriel supposed.

Which meant the next part must be _ awful_. “And my part…?”

“So glad you asked,” Akira said with a purr. “If I’m stuck here for you, you should… ah… help me out, don’t you think? I can’t just sit idle. Even Hell will become interested if I don’t… keep appearances, at the very least.”

“You want me to do your jobs for you.” Look at that desire to growl coming back…

“Why, you’re _ so _ smart, Goro!” Oh, he’d _ punch _this stupid face of his… the demon. “But, you know how it goes: I’ll do yours if you do mine.”

Gabriel was certainly going to punch his face in.

… later.

(he never answered; somehow, Akira decided that was an agreement anyway. Gabriel was too stubborn to say that it _ might _have been, after all.)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Gabriel starts questioning himself, Akira is not bound by gender, and the Arrangement is certainly in play.

**Chapter 10**

From the time he’d stepped into the not-quite-a-palace, Gabriel had smelled…

Well. ‘ _ Familiarity _ ’ was the best way he could word it. It was a mix of  _ danger-hide-attack-danger  _ and sweet (overly so, even)  _ comfort-fun-partnership _ .

It was ridiculously embarrassing how much it made him simply… relax.

( _ why on Earth _ , he wondered lightly, but didn’t think too hard on it in case he found something unpleasant)

There were five people in the room he stood in. One was easily recognized as the host of this…  _ gathering _ . There was another male ( _ hair too short, too light, no danger no danger _ ), and three females ( _ too long dresses, too colorful, no, not there _ ), and no cat anywhere in sight.

Still, the smell remained there, just on the edge of his physical embodiment. The demon was here. Here, here, just outside perception, perhaps, but here. Right here.

_ Where? _

He looked around again, walking automatically in the host’s direction, a pleasant (fake, ridiculous, why must he put up with it?) smile on his face as he searched for  _ familiar-friendly-danger-darkness-sin-sin-comfort _ .

“Hello,” he said to the man before him. Human, ridiculous, boring. Too much wealth, too much power, why were the Powers interested? “I understand congratulations are in place.” He offered, without ever actually  _ congratulating  _ the man. “It was quite a remarkable strategy.”

The man ( _ bland-why-shut-him-up _ ) laughed, the sound grating on Gabriel’s head. “Thank you. I appreciate you coming…”

He kind of ignored everything else, going through motions on auto-pilot. He gave the man some more pleasantries he didn’t mean  _ a bit _ , fake-listened to some words about the host’s  _ incredible  _ wit, made all the right sounds at all the right moments, and, more importantly, never once allowed the man to see his disgust with all this…  _ thing _ .

When he was finally released, he had half a mind to just  _ get out _ . The scent, the  _ feeling _ , of…  _ familiar-dangerous-comfort-sin  _ beckoned him, though, and it won over his utter disgust with this crap. Thus, he allowed himself to be led into the main ballroom ( _ main _ . How many  _ did  _ this not-quite-palace have?), still searching for the familiar eyes around him.

It took him an hour of mingling with  _ faceless-boring-humans  _ before he caught sight of familiar curls that embodied darkness so perfectly.

He made his way through the crowd around him with disregard to politeness and masks, following the pull that had been there the whole time.

Akira — Akira stood before him, his back turned to Gabriel as he laughed cheerfully at some random person Gabriel couldn’t give less importance to. His laugh was genuine, though, so Gabriel gave the human a second glance ( _ black hair, boisterous laughter, rough hands, not important, humane, dismissible _ ) and a moment for him to scatter off before Gabriel could do something that would undoubtedly annoy the demon.

(he swallowed the irrational urge to irritate his— _ the  _ demon anyway, just to chase off this human. He was boring and but a wisp in their lives; there was no reason to bother himself)

“Akira,” he murmured the moment the human stepped away, an excuse on his lips.

He could see he hadn’t quite gotten Akira by surprise by the utter lack of reaction before Akira turned around, a grin already on his lips.

Or. Well.

Gabriel blinked slowly, eyes seeing but mind refusing to understand the sight before him for a moment. Or two.

“This dress really suits you.”

… he hadn’t quite meant to say that. Fuck.

It was hard to remember that when Akira grinned that way, too many teeth (too sharp and still too soft; it was easy to remember the fangs that had grinned at him, once upon a time… the fangs that flashed at him last time Akira had been  _ this  _ soft), too teasing, too  _ red _ .

“Goro,” purred Akira, her golden eyes glittering with satisfaction beckoning to a cat who had caught a canary. “What a pleasant surprise to find you here.”

Gabriel blinked again, shaking the surprise from his mind (too much time with humans, clearly). “Was it? And what are  _ you  _ doing here?”

Akira stepped closer (and was she wearing a  _ petticoat? _ ), one gloved hand brushing teasingly over Gabriel’s shoulder as she did so. “Oh, the usual. A little bit tempting, a little of discord, a little of free-thought.”

Gabriel watched as she bit her lower lip and stared at him behind heavy eyelids — was Akira trying to tempt  _ him _ ?

“I see.” He said carefully, glancing away with faked curiosity. “I suppose this is right up your alley.”

Her hum was familiar, at least. That same vibration that always reminded him of her preferred animal form, just on the edge of a purr. “Indeed. And you, here to share some light within this…  _ riveting  _ company?”

He snorted softly; if there was one thing he could always trust about Akira, was that he— _ they _ would always have something ridiculing to say about other people.

“I was supposed to spread some…  _ words _ of duty in here. Seeing the utter decadence of this place, though, I decided to simply… step down from it.”

“Well,” Akira smiled. “I can always stop my part, since we would have been… ah…  _ annulling  _ each other, if we both did our jobs… and then we can say we both did our jobs.”

Gabriel glanced around one more time — but, honestly, the answer had been clear from before Akira even mentioned the proposition. There was a reason he hadn’t made an attempt at fulfilling his duty, after all.

“Of course.” He returned his attention to the demon before him. “Should we consider this part of our Agreement, as well?”

Akira’s smile was much fonder, this time. “Of course, dear. You scratch my back, I scratch yours, isn’t it so? Neither is too fond of the current duty so we just… allow the humans some freedom. It fits me perfectly.”

Gabriel nodded. “And none of them are breaking justice at the moment, so I have no reason to step in, do I?”

Akira’s other hand also found its way into Gabriel’s shoulder, and he frowned cautiously at the grinning demon. “Great! Now that that’s agreed…,” she licked her lip sinfully. “Why don’t we seal upon this with a dance?”

… of  _ course _ .

“You serious?” He asked because he was supposed to, not that he truly believed Akira  _ not  _ to be.

Akira hummed in agreement, eyes sharp on his face. “Just one short dance with Hell. Or are you afraid of being tempted,  _ Gabriel _ ?”

Ugh. “It sounds…,”  _ wrong— _ “strange to hear you call my name.”

Akira froze for a second — and Gabriel (because that was still his name. It sounded wrong coming from Akira, but  _ he was Gabriel _ . The Messenger. The Angel of Justice. He  _ was _ ) found some perverse pride in that.

Until Akira found her voice again.

“Oh? Does this mean you  _ approve  _ of your nickname, dear?” She positively thrummed with glee. “Do you believe  _ Goro  _ to suit you that much?”

“Shut up,” he huffed.

While they danced, though, Akira still grinning charmingly as she told him tales of the time they spent away from each other and he agreed to do some of her temptings as long as she did some of his miracles, Gabriel could only think of the  _ wrongness _ in hearing she say Gabriel.

He was still Gabriel.

Wasn’t he?


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Akira is the one in trouble but Goro isn't around. Also, hello Japan!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should note that I know even less about Japan's history than I know of Christianity. Thanks, bye.

**Chapter 11**

Akira had mostly stuck to Western countries the past few… uh… centuries ( _ millennia _ would be more exact, he supposed), because that’s where the faith in the One True God (as he heard once) was stronger, but he’d always been…

_ Curious _ , he supposed. Especially after the Vikings and that one story (that spread over a couple centuries all on its own) with Loki. So, when given the opportunity to change airs, he took it without thinking twice.

(lies. He did think twice; he thought that he should let Goro know because, well, they are partners. In crime. If Akira went to the East and Goro stayed in the West, their Agreement would be null, so, really, it only made sense. Unfortunately, Goro was also unreachable for a while, so the thought stayed as just that: a thought)

So, he went to the East, roamed a bit… did some tempting here, some damning there, led a monk into sinning, read a bit about their religions, partied with some other Ethereals he found on the way… might have done one or two small miracles when no one was watching… and went on, just like that, until the time he found himself in the middle of a battle in the Land of Fire.

Well. He supposed he should have seen this coming.

Still, he hadn’t quite planned on being caught in the middle of it — and especially not on being  _ captured  _ by a small army when he tried to, ah,  _ borrow  _ some of their weapons out of sheer curiosity.

Suppose he should’ve seen  _ that _ coming, too.

**.**

The worst part, in his opinion, was that they cut his  _ hair _ . He liked his hair.

(except when it rained; but he didn’t like rain at all, by this point — the  _ black-tendrils-stuck-sadness-water-too-much  _ was just one half of it, by now)

He… supposed he could have struggled against it. They were just humans, after all. If he had used his magick, he might have escaped it unharmed.

Or he could have ended up discorporated, and then. Well.

It was too much trouble, being discorporated. He was very proud of saying he had  _ never  _ been properly discorporated before, and he didn’t want to change that  _ now _ .

Still, it felt strange. The lack of hair. And being locked up, of course, but on  _ that  _ one, he was simply waiting for his guard to change again, then it’d be easier to escape — no ruckus, if he was lucky not even any blood, and, more importantly, no untimely deaths. He just needed his opportunity.

… or a distraction. He supposed a distraction would work just as fine.

When the shouts started — loud and sudden —, Akira was startled for the tiniest of moments. And… perhaps… a bit hopeful.

For just one moment, he imagined red eyes staring at him with the most put-upon sigh possible to any Ethereal creature.

Then, reality crashed upon him and he remembered that Goro wasn’t even here, how would he know Akira was in trouble? And, anyway, he was a  _ demon _ ; Hell didn’t check on their… “small demonic miracles” (as Goro once put, much to Akira’s amusement) quite as much as Heaven checked on angels’ miracles. Hell was just as annoying, but they  _ did  _ offer a bit more of freedom, in the end.

( _ not nearly enough, not nearly as much as promised — but a tiny bit more, anyway _ )

So, Akira decided it must be the opposing army come knocking (or, more likely, come bearing down on their opponents), and decided this was  _ certainly  _ his opportunity to escape, because he didn’t want to be stuck in the middle of a  _ war _ , thank you very much.

The locks on his wrists fell apart easily. The locks on the cell were just the same.

There were some humans, some soldiers, scrambling around — but they were all too worried with the distraction, with the danger, and Akira had enough magick and proficiency in his fingertips to just wish himself  _ away-darkness-enveloped-silence-unnoticed _ . Creeping away after that was like stealing candies from a child.

Flying away after he was  _ out  _ should have been just as easy.

Instead, his eyes fell on a figure crawling through the darkness and, well.

He  _ was  _ a demon, was he not? Perhaps… he should seed some temptation amongst these men. And perhaps he should start with  _ that _ one, why not?

(he refused to think that perhaps he missed red eyes and  _ redder-by-the-day-flecks-blood-copper  _ wings, or that he might need some distraction from himself. This was just a curiosity. It’d come to pass.

… whether he liked or not.)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starring: Akira repeats past mistakes - and so does Goro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the gender by which Akira goes changes in the middle of the chapter. That's deliberate. I think it's clear from the chapter itself but, well, in case it's not, I'm just announcing here.

**Chapter 12**

Akira learned much more of the current war in these lands than he’d ever expected or even  _ wanted _ to know, but it was a side effect of travelling with a not-quite-soldier of the war.

The boy (oh, he was likely an adult according to humans, but to  _ Akira _ ?) was a stubborn thing with too much determination and pride in his head, and Akira felt drawn to him like a mot to flame. He was just so…  _ righteous _ , at times, and it reminded him of… well. Of fighting against Heaven, once upon a time, perhaps.

( _ rebellion and righteousness were often alike _ , Akira discovered;  _ their taste was the same, at the very least: fire-copper-anger-pain and just a dash of bittersweet-fresh-light _ )

Akira also learned even more of humans than he thought possible for a non-human, but, well. Happens. It was also all because of his human-thief, this boy who led him through his life without blinking twice.

This boy who saw oppression and thought, ‘ _ I’m gonna change that _ ’ and  _ acted  _ on it. This boy who lost everything dear to him and said, ‘ _ I won’t ever let anyone else go through this _ ’, and stood.

This boy who saw a chance and took it, even knowing the risk to himself.

Akira would cherish his memory for eternity, he liked to think.

(just as he still cherished the memory of a toddler stumbling around, of a boy who dreamt of things far beyond his town, of a man sacrificed for his heart)

**.**

When his thief-human was dead, boiling away but saving just one more child, a series of failed murder attempts behind him, as well as many relieved smiles, Akira decided it was enough.

Enough of caring for humans. Enough of being alone.

(of suffering, of loving and losing, of days of  _ rain-black-tendrils-sadness  _ even when there was no water falling on him)

So, he reached out and sought that…  _ familiar-warm-holy-too-holy-light-fire-and-ashes _ scent, harmful power thrumming under an unassuming skin.

Luckily, Goro wasn’t even all that far.

Flying into (ah,  _ to _ ) him was easy — though he found a bit more of resistance than usual, clearly his wings required some grooming, damn it —, and finding him after was even easier: he had only to follow the shouts.

“Hullo,” he said with a grin as he peeked behind the masses at his red-eyed friend. “Need some assistance, darling?”

He had taken the moment of solitude to remember to make himself invisible, so Goro’s eyes were the only eyes to turn to him, all the other humans remaining unaware.

“Demon.” Goro’s name for him was too uncreative, Akira thought, but at least it was fond enough, by now. “I see you have found your way back from your…  _ pet _ .”

Ohhhh. Akira grinned brightly, bouncing into the middle of things, a small wave to make the humans around hazy to give them some privacy.

“Have you been keeping an eye on me, dear?” He asked, grin unwavering on his face.

That same light blush Akira loved spread over Goro’s face once again. “Shut up. I was assigned to Japan for a while and saw you bouncing around with that avenging thief — what’s his name? Goemon?”

“Ownnn,” he cooed obnoxiously ( _ not thinking, not remembering, not now, not now _ ), leaning in to watch Goro’s eyes. “Were you jealous? I’m always yours, Goro-Goro. You know that.”

He received a scoff back — but Goro’s lips also twitched into a smile, and Akira decided this was a beautiful victory.

“So, how did  _ this _ happen?” He asked, changing subjects before Goro could ask anything else that Akira didn’t want to answer.

Goro grimaced lightly. “I was sent to bless the local priest, cure some of the kids from the plague that shouldn’t even  _ be  _ here…” He shrugged. “Somehow, the other townsmen saw me coming from one of the healing girl’s house and decided I was here to kill her off as some… ah… how did the mother put it? ‘Heartless bastard’, I believe?”

Akira was laughing before Goro could even finish the explanation. He bit his lower lip, trying to muffle the sounds to allow his angel the opportunity to continue, but it was just…

“Of course you’d like that,” Goro said with a glare. “Anyway. One thing led to the other… a commotion was caused, more and more people came here to blame me and try to chain me up… I didn’t want to raise too much attention by using miracles, so I was just… waiting until someone went to check on the girl. I’m not finished with my duties here, so I’d like to be able to stay here for a while more, yet.”

Oh, his stupid angel.

Akira smiled, warmth building low in his chest, and he shook his head softly. “C’mon, darling. I’ll help you out. Why don’t I take care of these humans for now, and then we go finish off with your list?”

“Your duties?”

“I’m on an… extended leave,” he said primly.

(he was not. He was just ditching his assignments.)

Goro shook his head — he probably understood  _ exactly  _ what he meant (neither Heaven nor Hell were all that  _ fond  _ of… allowing their soldiers to slip away, after all), but he said nothing else on the matter.

“Very well. Deal with them, demon.”

Akira did.

**.**

Akira took Goro back to Japan with her, claiming that they could always make up some blessings and temptings around and pretend to be there on orders.

(they both knew they would only be doing whatever they wished, but neither commented on it)

They roamed around for a couple months, always pretending not to know what was on each other’s mind, always ignoring the elephant in the room… until the one time Akira allowed Goro to ply her with sweets and drinks until his mind was hazy enough to deal with this shit.

“You know,” Goro said, just as hazy and drunk as Akira from his voice. “I was kinda rooting for the… the…” A snap of fingers caught Akira’s attention before she could drift too far off. “Oda guy!”

“Oh?” She asked curious. ‘ _ Oda _ ’ had been the one behind the war a couple years ago, hadn’t he? “Was this why you came here?”

Goro nodded — a couple times more than absolutely necessary, much to Akira’s amusement… and nausea. “Mm. I heard of… of him, and you were ‘round here, I felt. So, I came to check.”  _ On you, _ Akira supplied happily (hopefully). “Thought it’d be fun to watch a bit, when I caught up with the… war thing.”

Akira giggled; just Goro, wasn’t it? “Of course you’d like it.”

“’Twas fun.” Goro said very seriously. “And the Oda-guy, he had… nice ideas. I’m surprised you don’t agree. With the whole country unified under a single leader, it’d be much easier to keep justice.”

Discussing…  _ philosophy? _ drunk. Was this their fate?

“Perhaps,” she said remembering the conversation. “But… if there’s one thing I know from humans is that they’re  _ never _ satisfied with their lot in life. And a leader like that…” She shook her head — wow, bad move, not doing that again — and drank another bottle of  _ sake _ . “They’d probably be rebelling within the century.”

“For humans,” Goro said with remarkable softness. “That’s a whole lifetime —  _ two  _ lifetimes, even — of peace.” Add tact to it.

She frowned at the side of his face, remembering boiling water and a cross. “You… make sense.” It tasted foul, the admission. Still, this was his angel; he deserved the truth. “But…” She sighed softly. “Don’t you see how lacking in liberty they’d be, were that the case? A leader… an  _ overlord _ … looming over them, dictating what they can and cannot do…” She refused to shake her head again, but only because of the dizziness. “That’s not freedom. That’s not even  _ justice _ . That’s  _ one man’s  _ justice.”

Goro laughed softly, the sound much less mocking than Akira would have expected of him. Must be all the drinking, she decided with a warmth in her chest. “Well. I guess I know who to blame if humans ever start another revolution for freedom.”

Akira hid a smile. This was… nice, she supposed, even if it were a strange fate for them. Just sitting here. Discussing this…  _ philosophy _ .

(discussing their beliefs and their  _ raisons d’être  _ and the policies of their commanders all in one, even)

“Anyway,” She said, drinking another bottle in a single go. If she were to admit this, she’d need more alcohol than was currently in her body. Ugh. “I was much more rooting for Goemon. He was a nice bloke.”

She could appreciate Goro’s tact, but right now she’d really be happier  _ without  _ it. She hurt enough without her angel avoiding the truth in his mind.

“I never expected you to bond with a murderer.” Goro admitted and  _ there it was _ , she thought proudly. Something for her to argue.

(something to distract her from  _ rain-empty-heavy-black-tendrils-on-skin _ )

“He was… nice,” she repeated lost.  _ Warm-grins-calloused-hands-silence _ . “I thought of following him as a cat, y’know. It’d be easy. But… he helped me escape when I was caught by some soldiers, and I thought I wanted to  _ know  _ him. Not just… follow him. So…” She shrugged; so she had approached him as he was and had been well-received for it. “And, I mean. Don’t you think his ideals were nice, too?”

“His  _ ideals _ ?” Goro asked skeptically.

“Mm.” She nodded softly (not too sharp, not too sudden; she didn’t want to get sick now… though she could still use more alcohol, even if she  _ did  _ get sick). “Stealing of the rich to share with the poor. A share of morals in his assassinations.” She spread her hands (wings, wings, she spread her wings — but she didn’t, didn’t have them out, did she?). “He was seeking justice, don’t you think?”

“Aren’t you the one that said that seeking  _ justice  _ for their family by killing someone else is just revenge?”

She laughed ( _ hurt-tight-heavy-heavy-sad-light _ ), patting him on the shoulder lightly. “Oh, Goro,” she murmured delighted. “Isn’t revenge and justice just different forms of rebellion?”

He stared at her for a moment, red-eyes soft and sharp. At that moment, his powers were dulled, less  _ sharp-holy-run-run-danger  _ and more  _ light-warm-tricky-be-wary _ , and Akira felt that even his scent tasted just the bit kinder, and it was  _ amazing _ . It was familiar and warm and  _ lovely _ , and…

“Of course you’d think so, demon.” He said with a small smile. “I don’t know how I keep forgetting.”

She emptied another bottle instead of answering, but she knew he was just as aware of her dulled powers and instincts, and hoped he also  _ understood _ .

When he miracle’d her some more sweets and she returned the favor by magicking them even more bottles of sake, she thought he might have.

Her Goro wasn’t  _ stupid _ , after all — despite what it sounded like, at times.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Goro finally gives in, Yusuke might require a bit of a miracle, and Akira recovers.

**Chapter 13**

Somewhere along the way, he stopped being Gabriel. Not that he became someone else, just that he… accepted it; accepted he wasn’t  _ just _ that Angel defending the Gates of Heaven, not  _ just _ the Messenger bringing destruction in God’s name, not  _ just _ the Angel supposed to bless humanity. He simply accepted that he was  _ also _ Goro, the stupid, ridiculous name given to him by his stupid, ridiculous demon, because that was someone the demon could befriend.

So. He stopped being Gabriel, without ever becoming someone else, simply because he  _ was  _ Goro, too.

(and, truth be told, he had realized this eons ago, back when Akira gave him this ridiculous name, but he was never ready to  _ see  _ it)

The “somewhere along the way”  _ might  _ have been somewhere along the past decade and a half he was spending with his ridiculous demon; most likely, even. He just didn’t even notice it until he had stepped into the room by Akira’s side and, when prompted to give a name to the young artist they were visiting, found himself answering with the blasted name.

At least it got him a disbelieving snort from Akira, so he would count his wins.

“I wish the two of you the best and hope you might enjoy the paintings herein kept,” murmured the young artist (what was his name? Yuko? Yusuo? Yusuke?) bowing to them shallowly.

“I’m sure we well, Yusuke-san,” answered Akira with his sweetest smile, returning the bow. “Goro and I are huge appreciators of good art.”

It wasn’t a lie (he’d learned, millennia ago, that the demon wasn’t quite as fond of lying as he made it sound. Instead, he always chose to simply…  _ stretch  _ the truth a bit); Goro  _ did  _ like good art. He just wasn’t sure  _ Yusuke’s  _ art fit the description.

He didn’t say it. He wasn’t exactly  _ afraid  _ of saying so — nor did he actually care for the boy’s  _ feelings _ —, but he had also learned not to insult one of Akira’s friends long ago, and especially not to his face.

Still, even if he  _ could  _ act polite and patient for a while, he simply didn’t have the mind for it.

“Akira,” he hissed lightly after a while. To the young artist, he nodded politely, a grimace hid behind a smile. “Shall we?” He asked louder — loud enough to be heard by the human, and loud enough that his demon wouldn’t be able to pretend not to hear.

“Oh, apologies. I did not intend to keep you from enjoying each other. Please,” the human answered with a polite bow.

Akira laughed — hand clenching just a tad bit too painfully on Goro’s arm — and waved his friend off. “No worries, Yusuke-san. My partner is simply a bit impatient. It’s the first time we could meet each other in days, you know how it is.”

He should have gone with the discretion path. Well. What’s done is done, he supposed.

With a couple more pleasantries than was entirely pleasant (pun not intended), Goro finally managed to drag his… Akira away, hand clenched tightly on  _ Akira’s  _ arm, this time, pulling him close enough for Goro to be able to hiss into his ears as they walked.

“If I have to come with you to an art exposure, we are going to  _ see  _ the paintings, not just discuss art with the painter.” He directed a fake smile in the direction of the other only person in Yusuke’s exhibition before returning his attention to Akira. “Else I’m leaving you here on your own.”

He supposed the threat would have worked better had he completed it with something else, but. Necessities.

Something quieted Akira, at least, because his demon finally focused back on him. When Akira tried to steer him to the back, Goro allowed it calmly, following him with a small smile on his face.

Akira was finally opening up again, trusting and chattering up random strangers and being his cheery self. Goro had… missed that, he thought. Not entirely being teased and annoyed constantly, but just… seeing Akira smile more.

And being comfortable in his male body again, because Goro had realized he was  _ just  _ the tiniest bit less popular as a male — especially without the long hair he had favored for so long —, and that meant less annoyance from humans, in the end.

“You know,” he said after a while, watching the paintings around him. “Your friend isn’t entirely… without his merit.”

Akira’s grin was positively a beam as he nuzzled Goro’s cheek. Which. Uh. But he was talking, so Goro simply focused on  _ that  _ instead of… everything else.

“I know!” Akira must be using some of his demonic influence without Goro’s realizing it, because it felt entirely too hot here. And dangerous. He was on the edge standing here right now. But pulling away would be rude, and humans were watching. “He’s really good at it.”

Goro nodded distractedly, feeling the flames licking away inside and wondering whether he was safe or not.

Akira went on, talking about one of the paintings they were looking at, but Goro just… wasn’t too focused on it, anymore. Instead, he could only sense, see, feel the  _ fire-demon-fire-warmth-destruction-protection  _ radiating by his side as his… friend… talked on.

A distraction. He needed a distraction.

“Shame he’s such a nameless artist. No one will come to see his works — nevertheless  _ buy  _ them — as it is. It would require quite the miracle for him to gain some popularity, I believe.”

He felt the moment Akira thought —  _ really  _ thought about it — because he just  _ froze _ under Goro’s touch.

“You know…,” Akira said slowly, grin spreading further on his face. “That’s quite the idea, darling. I think I know why I keep you around, now.”

He huffed lightly, feeling his face warming a bit, but offered his demon a little smile in response. “You do know I won’t be doing it?”

“Oh, I know.” Akira waved him off, eyes alight with cheeky mischievousness. “Anyway, you’ll be quite busy, won’t you?”

… he’d regret asking this.

“Will I?”

Akira’s smirk was enough of a response even before he could hear it.

**.**

He found Akira again a couple months later, and his friend looked… good.

“Heard you also blessed a couple of… ah, what was it? Farmers? While doing a… minor miracle to get your friend some attention.” Goro said lightly, waving down some alcohol for himself.

“And heard some new desserts were created by the last town I heard you had been visiting,” Akira responded easily.

Goro hummed with something close to happiness, taking his requested drink with a polite smile. “Yes, well. There were some content humans insisting on giving me something after my last batch of miracles, and I never could refuse gifts.”

Akira snorted. Loudly. The rude thing. “Of  _ course _ , dear. It has  _ nothing  _ to do with the fact you have an irreparable sweet tooth, has it?”

Hiding a grin behind his drink, Goro refused to answer his demon.

It had  _ nothing  _ to do with it at all.

(it had. Of course)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira wants to settle down and Goro finally gets a clue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaand this is the place where the story took an abrupt heel-turn and, apropos of nothing, told me it was finished. I tried to at least smooth it out a bit, but... It _is_ kinda abrupt. Sorry.  
Next chapter is the last one, where Goro just... Uh. Gives a bit of closure.  
(goodbye, all my plans)

**Chapter 14**

Much to Akira’s luck, he was never a figure head in Hell.

Oh, he fell of his own volition — was even one of the first, he supposed, having stood directly by Lucifer as he talked of  _ liberty  _ and  _ free will  _ and refusing orders —, but at the same time, once he was a demon, he mostly just… refused to do anything he didn’t agree with, and, with time, his handlers kind of… gave up on him, accepting him as the “prankster demon who sometimes helped them out” or something.

It was mighty useful, really. Especially when he just wanted  _ out _ .

Oh, he refused to even consider trying to go back to Heaven — all the reasons he had fallen for were still right there: all the rules, all the  _ infallibility _ , all the ridiculous expectations —, but he also refused to be one of Hell’s spoken people, so this…  _ non-standing  _ did him lots of good.

Unfortunately, though,  _ Goro  _ didn’t share his position, seeing how Goro was… well. Gabriel, the Messenger of God.

(he laughed himself sick when he saw that Gabriel had stopped being acknowledged as an  _ Angel of Justice _ and became simply God’s  _ Messenger _ , while Akrasiel — whenever still acknowledged —  _ was  _ considered an Angel of Justice. Goro didn’t take that too well, but it was just so  _ funny _ )

So, even if Akira settled down (which he  _ might  _ have been thinking about for a while, now), he’d have to do so… alone.

That… that left a much worse taste in his mouth than it should.

Of course, he wasn’t completely  _ thick _ , like Goro. He knew the signs. Knew himself. He had never  _ actually  _ gone through this before, of course — it’d be strange if he had, considering he was an  _ ageless ethereal being  _ —, but he’d seen the signs many times before, and he’d had…  _ fondness _ before.

This, what he felt for Goro, it was…  _ more _ . More in line with the bubbling thoughts and emotions and  _ life  _ of humans. More in line with the warmth that had once belonged to Them, before Akira had decided he didn’t really agree with Them all that much.

This — this  _ fondness-warmth-exasperation-danger-worthy-mine  _ —, he supposed, was what being in love felt like.

And it hurt. And it felt so  _ overwhelming _ . And so… so…

_ Good _ .

Except, of course, when he was trying to settle down and, somehow, convince Goro to stay with him. But, one step at a time.

**.**

“I like Japan,” he said, mostly because it was true, but also because he wanted Goro to pay him more attention and this was as good a conversation opener as anything.

Goro wasn’t too thrilled, though. Clearly. “Yes. I’ve noticed.”

Huffing lightly, Akira turned to stare at his face — he was still so damn taken with those pretty blood eyes, even after seeing the damned angel covered in blood; it was just so  _ unfair  _ how pretty he could manage to look even when being a bastard!

Right. Tangents.

“I’m thinking of… staying. For a while.”

_ Finally _ , Goro turned to look back at him, hair falling softly on his face. Akira wanted to touch it. He wanted to touch it so bad. Hold it in his fingers, brush it back behind Goro’s ears…

“You’re talking about settling down. Like a human,” Goro said, snapping him back to attention.

Well. What a lovely thought.

“Yes,” Akira agreed easily. “Maybe open something up to keep pretences. I was thinking a restaurant. Or… a bar, maybe. It’d explain all the bottles of alcohol I keep for you.”

Goro stared at him unblinkingly. He likely wasn’t even breathing, human pretence forgotten for a moment. Akira… realized this wasn’t exactly how he’d planned to ask him, but... in for a penny…

“Or I could open a café. I love the beverage, and it’d give me enough excuse to try my hand at sweets. I know how much you like them; I’m sure you’d like to taste-test them for me, no?”

Slowly, Goro… rebooted, for lack of a better word.

“You are asking me to move in with you.”

It wasn’t a question. Akira answered it anyway. “Yes.”

His angel drained his cup of alcohol — really, he should  _ really _ think something out for the amount of alcohol he’d need to keep his angel, honestly — in a single gulp and continued, voice much more uncertain.

“You are hitting on me.”

Akira sighed a breath of relief. At  _ last _ . “Well, I’ve been hitting on you for the past…,” generally or since he actually  _ cared _ ? Oh, well, “six thousand years, but thanks for noticing.”

“I.” Goro stopped, frowned. Tried again. “You flirt with  _ everyone _ , Akira.”

He had to concede that point, he supposed. “A bit. But I don’t  _ care  _ for them. You, on the other hand…”

Goro, beautiful, brilliant,  _ stupid _ Goro, asked: “And how was I supposed to know that?”

And, really. Akira had to hold himself  _ quite  _ still not to fall into helpless laughter. Because,  _ seriously _ , he hadn’t been  _ subtle _ . By this point, the question was less ‘how do I know you like me?’ and more ‘am I interested in you as well?’.

Ridiculous, his angel.

“Darling. I’ve never  _ run _ after anyone but you. I’ve never called them pet names. I’ve never been so  _ invested  _ in any of them, not even in the — I admit —  _ many  _ humans I’ve befriended and-or adopted along the way.” He paused to smirk a bit at the flustered look in Goro’s face before continuing, softer. “And no one is capable of standing by me, standing  _ with  _ me, like you are.”

“I’m an angel,” Goro said as if in protest, but his voice was softer than Akira had ever heard from him, and it… it was just so…

“Yes. And I’m a demon.” He returned, leaning forward to make sure Goro couldn’t look away from him.

Clearly, the angel would have liked that (looking away, that is), but he also held on to his pride, as Akira knew he’d do, and returned his stare with as much certainty as Akira himself held. “ _ Yes _ .”

“You say that as if it is a problem,” Akira commented, feeling flustered and hopeful and oh-so-cautious. “But I only see it as even more proof that we’d work.” He added, before Goro could continue his protest: “We are on ‘opposing’ sides, but we’ve been… well, we’ve worked this far, haven’t we? Friends. Partners. Sharing a godhood. Our little Agreement. Our…  _ distaste _ for similar things.” He snorted. “Our quest for  _ justice _ .” He stopped, a thought striking him like a thunder. “Think about it, you could be a  _ detective _ in your spare time! All the fame, all the power, all the  _ mystery _ ...”

Goro’s teeth clicked shut loudly, a blush high on his cheeks, and Akira watched, transfixed, as his angel went through his own thoughts.

“You are ridiculous, demon.” He said at last, huffing a little growl.

Akira smiled, warmth blossoming in his chest.

“I know.”

(twenty minutes later, he left his angel behind without having received an answer, but he still held to his hopes. Enough, even, to search for the perfect place, the perfect building to open his…  _ their _ little shop.)

(if Goro refused him, he could always close it up just as quickly, after all)


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After 6000 years, they are both home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I didn't want to sit on this too long, here it is.

**Chapter 15**

He hated to admit it (even to himself), but he’d… thought about it. A lot. Even before Akira even mentioned it.

It was just… a natural progression of things, really. They already spent most of their time together, just popping away for a little while here or there to do something or another for one of their masters. It was just…

Well. Common, for them to spend the night together — drinking away in a bar, eating at some restaurant, searching for sweets around the country (or, sometimes, the world), discussing shit, reading… They just spent so much of their time together, why not have somewhere they could stay?

But he hadn’t wanted to raise it, because, truth be told, he  _ had  _ too much assignments, much more than Akira ever had, and he didn’t want to make an offer just to be unable to go through with it.

(in the silence of the few nights he spends alone, he  _ might  _ admit that hadn’t been all, that  _ maybe _ he might have thought that it’d be too much, that it’d be too  _ quick _ , that Akira wouldn’t…)

But, truth is, he had thought of it. Had thought to offer it. Had looked for a place, before. Had even… started to say something about it, before reminding himself sharply  _ not to _ .

So, when Akira asked, he had… he had felt  _ warmth-hope-longing _ burning inside, and had wanted to agree immediately.

But he also needed to know. He needed to know whether this all was just…  _ him _ , or if Akira actually…

… Well. He never expected that answer. If he had been an optimist, he might have thought that  _ perhaps _ Akira would agree.

But to have been told that  _ yes, of course, I’ve been trying this for our whole existence _ ? That was…

(too much, too quick, too… too…)

Perfect.

Which, of course, meant he couldn’t have it, couldn’t agree, couldn’t… put Akira in the danger of being 

So, he ran. He ran, and ran, and kept running for the next month or months or year, until…

Until he realized that Akira was there. In the same place. Always. And Goro… perhaps…

Could do this, too.

**.**

Stepping into the building Akira had chosen was… a bit like coming home, a bit like stepping into Heaven, a bit like falling into Hell… but mostly, it felt like  _ them _ . Their stand on Earth. Their existence mixed together.

It had a familiar painting on the wall ( _ Sayuri _ , he thought it had been called), there were familiar songs playing on the back, there were photographs hidden behind a glass wall that could have easily been the product of editing and careful preparation but that Goro knew were  _ real _ (had been there for most of them, even). There was a shelf full of Goro’s favorite alcohols, another full of the beans Akira favored, and the front was full of sweets that Goro…

Damn it. Damn it all.

Damn Akira back to Hell — except, no, he wouldn’t wish Akira Hell or Heaven, he just wanted Akira…

Here. On Earth.

With him.

“Welcome home, honey,” Akira murmured warmly, energy simmering on the level of danger that Goro had learned to appreciate long ago, the level that only just appeared around  _ him _ . The kind of energy that tasted like honey and chocolate and fire and frozen tornados.

“Yes,” he said before he could control himself, a smile spreading over his face. “I’m home, demon.”

He hadn’t intended to say that. He hadn’t intended to…

But Akira’s smile was worth so much embarrassment. Akira’s smile was worth  _ the universe _ , and he couldn’t  _ really _ bring himself to regret it.

“We have to make some changes, but I think…” He looked around again, slowly cataloguing everything from their lives and thinking of everything that could still be added. “I think this is perfect.”  _ For us _ , he didn’t say.

He didn’t need to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- The End.
> 
> (rushed and open, but an end nonetheless)

**Author's Note:**

> I'll try to keep a posting pattern, but since I'm not finished with the story yet, it'll be... varying. I won't post all the complete chapters at once, since then I'd have nothing else to post, but I'll post them... once a week, for now? If I finish the story, I'll up the schedule.
> 
> Oh, and the "Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings" is just 'cuz _til now_ none apply, but I can't say for the rest of the story *shrugs*.


End file.
